The present invention is generally directed to a bracket, and more particularly, to a bracket which secures two component members together and can be concealed from the outside of the joint.
There are several conventional techniques for connecting two component members. One technique, illustrated in FIG. 1, is termed a mortise and tenon. The mortise 102 is a cavity in component member 100, which accepts the tenon 202 of component member 200. FIG. 2 illustrates two other conventional techniques, the tongue and groove and dowels and holes. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the groove 104 is a cavity in component member 100, which accepts the tongue 204 of component member 200. FIG. 2 also illustrates a dowel 302, which may be separate from or integral to component member 200. Dowel 302 is fit inside hole 206 in component member 200. In each of the above-identified exemplary conventional techniques, one or more mortise/tenon, tongue/groove and/or dowel/hole arrangement can be used.
Each of the above-identified exemplary conventional techniques, which are often used in the field of wood joinery, connects two component members by providing shear support. However, none of the above-identified exemplary conventional techniques adequately ensure the two component members remain secured together; the only factor being the tightness of fit between the tenon/tongue/dowel and the respective mortise/groove/hole.
In many applications, wood joinery included, it is also important that the two component members remain secured together.
Clips or brackets are also conventionally used for connecting two members, either alone or in combination with the exemplary conventional techniques described above. Although conventional clips and brackets usually ensure the two component members remain secured together, when conventional clips or brackets are used to connect two component members of a piece of furniture, the presence of the clip or bracket degrades the appearance of the furniture.
Further, conventional brackets, in order to be effective, usually require a bolt or screw for each component being assembled. In the standard case, if two component members are being secured, at least two bolts or screws are required, one for each component member. Requiring at least one screw for each component member makes conventional brackets expensive to make and time consuming to use for assembly.
The present invention solves these problems by providing a bracket which is usable to connect two component members, where the bracket can be concealed from the outside of the joint, in order to create a clean and furniture-like surface. The design of the bracket pulls two component members to be secured tightly together through the use of at least one member which hooks into one of the component members and is drawn tight to the component member when a securing device is tightened. Further, the bracket of the present invention may be designed to accommodate a single screw or bolt, in order to save assembly time and reduce cost.